Alarm for automobile and other wheel-tires.



EDWIN SANFORD PHELPS,

0F ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

ALARM FOB. AUTOMOBILE AND OTHER WHEEL-TIRES.

Bpeeication of Letten Patent.

ran-.nml May 4, 1915.

I Application led April 19, 190. Serial No. 312,893.

To all fir/mm it may concern.'

lle it known that l, EDWIN S. PHELrs, a citizen of the United States, residing in Elizabeth, in the count",7 of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Alarms for Automobile and other lVheel-Tires; and I do declare the followin ,to be a full, clear, and exact description o the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, ref erence being had to the accompanying' dra w ings, and to the letters and figures of refer ence marked there: e, which forni a party of this specification.

The purpose of the invention is to provide an alarm signal/io warn an automobilist when a tire of the vehicle becomes detlatcd. so that being warned the vehicle may be checked in Speed, or stopped so to avoid danger or an accident.

It comprises a. member adapted to be attached to the spoke of the wheel and carry ing a detonating cap or blank cartridge. a hammer and a trigger, the trigger heine located adjacent to the telly or tire .fio that upon deflation of the tire pressure of the tire 'against the trigger, or contact of the trigger with the round, will cause the trigger to act upon tile. hammer so that through the hammer the cap or cartridge will he ploded and give the alarm.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing andsuch other objects as may hereinafter appear the invention will now be described and then sought to be specifically` defined by the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention and in which- Figure l is an elevation partly in section showing the alarm applied to the spoke of a wheel: Fig. 2 is a perspective of the ham mer or tiring pin; Fig. 3 a modiiication of the lower end o the triggermod; and Fig. 4 a perspective of a tool for screwing and unscrewing the cartridge holder.

ln the drawing the numeral l designates a tube provided with an apertured cap or cartridge seat 'l screwed or otherwise Se cured therein .sind ith a cartridge or det notingf cap holder 3 which is likewise screwed therein and provided with a cavit)v 4 to receive the shell portion of the cartridge.

The numeral .3 designates a hammer or tiring pin fitting within the tube and so formed as to l held normallY in a retracted position therein. The preferred construction is to form the shank of the pin with the head 6 to engage a suitable spring-catch 7 by which the pin will be held in its retracted position. This spring-catch may he a corrugated or notched tlat spring secured at one end to the inside of the tube or barrel, and the head of the tiring pin may be formed with the recess to receive the spring-catch and with a tooth or shoulder 9 with which the spring will engage and hold the tiring pin until released.

The numeral 10 indicates a coiled spring against which the head ot the tiring pin presses when the pin or hammer is in its retracted or cocked position. lVithin the tube or barrel is a trigger which in one form may consist of a sliding' member or plunger-rod ll ioinicd with a shoulder or head l2 to bear against one end of the coiled spring 10, a part ol said rod extending within the coiled lspring and a part extending beyond the end ol' the tube or barrel. the inner end of said trigger-rod normally being out of contact with the head ol' the hammer and the outer end of the rod being formed with a knob 13 which will lie against or be in proximity to the tire or t'elljiot' the wheel. This triggerrod plays through a ce "esponi'liiig opening in a cap ll which screws into the end of the tubular bai-rel and prevents the eiitii'e withdrawal of the triggenrod except when dcsiiied to lie taken out. The coiledv spring all'ords a yielding cushion tor the triggeriod and permits a limited movement thereofv without its end coming in contact with the hami ier or pin. lVhen the hammer is cocker the coiled springy is under tension. ll." the tire becomes iletlatcd from any cause it. presses against tlielrnob end of the trigger, or said end comes in Contact with the ground. and the trigger is pressed inward so as to bring its end against the hammer and force it from locking engagi'fineiit with its holding spring. when the expansion oi' the coiled spring projects the hammer or tiring pin against the primed head of the cap or cartridge and causes the sime to explode and give the alarm. lL is preferred to render the knob adjustable by threading it on the end of the trigger-rod so that it may conform to different shapes or designs of tires.

If desired the projecting,Y portion of the triggenrod ma)v be made somewhat flexible b v forming it of a strong and closely coiled spring l5 which will be connected at one end to the outer portion of the trigger-rod and at the other end having the nob 13 connected thereto by a stud 16 as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. T he tube or barrel will be formed with clips 17 and clamping nuts 18 b' 'which it may be locked to the wheel spoie; and in practice it is preferred to provide each wheel with one of the devices, and by preference the tubes or barrels will be made to lie on the inside of the spokes so as not to be tampered with' by mischievously disposed or oilicious persons.

When a cap or cartridge is to be applied or removed, the cap or cartridge holder is unscrewed and the spent cartridge removed and a fresh one substituted. Before the holder.is put in place, the hammer or pin is pressed down or cocked, and for that purpose a tool 19 formed with a concave end 20 conforming to the end of the firing pin may be used. This tool is also formed with pins 21 on one face to engage corresponding holes 20 formed in the cartridge holder and also in the closing cap at the opposite end of the barrel so as to screw and unscrew them into and out of place.

I have described and illustrated the preferred constructmn, but the parts can be varied within wide range without departing from the essentials of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim is l. A detonating alarm for automobile or other wheel tires, comprising a cap or cartridge holder, a slidable hammer or firing pin and a trigger', and means for securing the alarm to a wheel with one end of the trigger in proximity to the tire so as to he projected on deflation of the tire to (anse the hammer to explode the cartridge, said trigger having a normally limited longitudinal movement without rendering the hammer active to explode the cartridge, substantially as described.

2. A detonating alarm for automobile or other wheel tires, comprising a cap or cartridge holder, a hammer or firing pin and means for holding the same in retracted position, a yielding trigger for releasing the hammer. said trigger having a normal limited reciprocatory movement Without releasing the hammer. and means for attaching the alarm to a wheel. said trigger having a part thereof in proximity to the tire of a wheel and adapted to be actuated on deiation of the tire to vrelease the hammer, suhta ntiallv as described.

3. A detonating alarm for automobile or other wheel tires, comprising a'cap or cartridge holder, a hammer or firing pin and means for holding the same in retracted position, a yielding trigger for releasing the hammer, said ited reciprocatory movement without releasing the firing pin, means for attaching the alarm to a wheel, and a head adjustable on the trigger adjacent to a tire of a wheel, substantially as described.

4. A detonating alarm for automobile or other wheel. tires, comprisingl a cap or cartridge holder, a'hammer or firing pm, means for holding the same in a retracted position, a spring for impelling the hammer or firing pin when released, a cushioned trigger in co operative relation to the hammer and having a art adjacent to a.tire to be actuated on de ation of the tire, said trigger having a limited reci rocatory movement without releasing the ammer or firing pin, and means for attaching the alarm'to a wheel, substantially as described. l

5. A detonating alarm for automobile or other wheel tires, comprising a tubular barrel, a cap or cartridge holder, fitting in one end of the barrel, a seat for the ca or car tridge in the barrel back of the older, a

Ahammer or firing pin operable through said holding the hammer 1n rea trigger for releasing the for attaching the alarm for the trigger to lg: su

seat, means for tracted position, hammer, and means to a wheel in position actuated on deflation ofva wheel tire, stantially as described.

V. A detonating alarm for automobile or other wheel tires, comprising a tubular barrel, a cap or cartridge holder fitting in said barrel, a hammer or firing pin, means for holding the same in a retracted position, a spring for impelling said hammer or-iiring pin, and a trigger-for projecting the hammer or firing pin, said trigger consisting of a slidable rod having a shoulder within the barrel to bear against said spring, a portion of said rod passing through the spring to release the hammer or firing pin. and a portion thereof extending outside of the barrel, substantiallv as described.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN`v SANFORD PHELPS.

lVitneSses:

'WILLIAM J. KENNY,

Gao. S. BEITH', Jr.

trigger having a normal lim- 

